A Destructive Path
Americares had emergency response teams in Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the wake of Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded. The storm battered the Caribbean and southern Florida with destructive force, killing at least 69 people, destroying homes and businesses and leaving millions without power. In the midst of significant logistical challenges, Americares emergency teams in the Caribbean and Central and South Florida coordinated shipments of critical medicine and supplies for survivors while meeting with response and health partners to assess needs and restore health services. The recovery work continues in the Caribbean and in Florida.
Response and Recovery
In Florida, Americares worked to restore health services in storm-damaged communities across the state. Americares delivered medicine and supplies to replace any damaged by floodwaters and to meet an increased demand as people returned to their homes. Clinics in the Florida Keys, Homestead, Miami, Melbourne, Oakland Park and Orlando have received aid; Americares is also assisting a shelter for homeless youth in Fort Lauderdale. We have delivered nearly $21 million in medicine, supplies and other support, along with emergency funding to help health care facilities replace damaged medicine and supplies and execute rapid repairs not covered by insurance.
Before Hurricane Irma made landfall, Americares pre-positioned medicine in central Florida, contacted 80 partner health centers to offer help, and positioned a team in Orlando that could quickly travel to the most heavily impacted areas once the storm had passed. An Americares Emergency Response Team worked in the Florida Keys, assessing the status of partner health centers and hospitals and providing assistance.
In the Caribbean, our emergency response teams coordinated shipments of critical medicine and supplies to local health organizations in islands that have been devastated by the storms. Americares emergency shipments have reached hospitals in St. Thomas and St. Martin, two hard-hit islands. In the U.S. Virgin Islands Americares team completed an assessment of health needs and recovery work continues. Our team has worked with hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities and shelters to meet emergency needs for medicine and medical supplies.

Our Partners for Irma Response in Florida & U.S. Virgin Islands
Our U.S. Programs partner with an extensive safety net clinic network in all 50 states and Puerto Rico that allows us to build a rapid response to a disaster and build long-term programs in support of health system restoration. In addition, we reach out to and identify new partners during a disaster to meet immediate community needs and establish sustainable relationships for strengthening health services. All of our partners listed below receive emergency medicines and supplies. Partners listed with ** are also receiving program and project support ranging from targeted health initiatives to operational assistance.
Feeding America | Fort Pierce |
Pembroke Park | |
Catholic Charities – Crossroads Alliance | Ocala |
Archways, Inc. | Fort Lauderdale |
Broward Community & Family Health Centers | Pompano Beach |
Camillus Health Center | Miami |
Community Health of South Florida, Inc. | Homestead |
**Covenant House | Fort Lauderdale |
FIU College of Medicine Mobile Health Center | Doral |
Flagler County Free Clinic | Bunnell |
Good Health Clinic, Inc. | Taverner |
Good News Care Center | Florida City |
Homestead | |
Good Samaritan Pharmacy & Health Services, Inc. | Nokomis |
**Grace Medical Home | Orlando |
Guidance/Care Center, Inc. | Marathon |
Haley Center | Winter Haven |
Key West Health and Rehab, Inc. | Key West |
Lakeland Volunteer in Medicine | Lakeland |
Lake and Sumter Emergency Recovery, Inc. | Umatilla |
**Light of the World clinic, Inc. | Oakland Park |
Lower Keys Medical Center | Key West |
Neighborhood Health Clinic | Naples |
North Broward Hospital District D/B/A Broward Health | Fort Lauderdale |
**Open Door Health Center | Homestead |
Redlands Christian Migrant Association | Immokalee |
Rural Health Network of Monroe County | Key West |
The Salvation Army | Ft Myers |
**Samaritans Touch Care Center | Sebring |
North Broward Hospital District | Fort Lauderdale |
Space Coast Volunteers in Medicine | Viera |
Sulzbacher Health Center | Jacksonville |
University of Miami | Miami |
Virginia B. Andes Volunteer Community Clinic | Port Charlotte |
**Volusia Volunteers in Medicine | Daytona Beach |
The Way Free Medical Clinic, Inc. | Green Cove Springs |
**Womankind | Key West |
Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans | New Orleans |
**Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin Islands | Frederiksted, U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix) |
Department of Human Services | Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands |
Department of Health | Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands |
Schneider Regional Medical Center | Charlotte Amalie, U.S. VI (St. Thomas) |
St. Thomas East End Medical Center Corp | Charlotte Amalie, United States Virgin Islands (St. Thomas) |
**Frederiksted Health Care, Inc. | Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands (St. Croix) |
Always Ready
Americares has professional relief workers ready to respond to disasters rapidly and stocks emergency medicine and supplies in its warehouses in the U.S., Europe and India that can be delivered quickly in times of crisis. We respond to an average of 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year and establish long-term recovery projects.
Should Americares raise funds in excess of what’s needed to respond to this particular crisis, the funds will be redirected to where the need is greatest.